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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ball — a great time
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — a container
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. staff — employees
  16. drill — army training
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. drill — a practice
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com